President John Dramani Mahama, during the 2012 electioneering campaign promised the youth of Ghana that when he is voted into office, will set up a fund to support young people of Ghanaian origin who will like to own their personal business.
However, the long awaited fund was launched about a fourth night ago by H. E. John Dramani Mahama christened ?Youth Enterprise Support Fund? (YES Found) with a seed capital of Ten Thousand Ghana Cedis (Ghc 10,000). Though some sections of the public/media are of the opinion that the 10,000 Ghana Cedi initial capital is insignificant compare to the over 4.5 million US dollars spent on Black Stars as appearance fee for the Brazil 2014 World Cup tournament, yet others think the amount is okay for a start.
Another area which is generating lots of controversies and discuss in the media/public domain is the Manager or Coordinator of the YES Fund, Mr. Kojo Adu Asare, former Member of Parliament for Adentan Constituency who is a Professional Carpenter.
Nine out of every ten people you speak to, be it on the streets, markets, educational institutions as well as religious groupings are getting worried day-in-day out about how the affairs of the state is been handle unprofessionally by the people in authority.
It appears there are so many square pegs in round holes (wrong people at right places) when it comes to Presidential appointments and a classical example is the appointment of Mr. Adu Asare a know Carpenter to the position of a managing director of a financial institution like the YES Fund which is equivalent to a Managing Director of a bank.
The question is what were the bases of Mr. Adu Asare?s appointment? Even a first year student, studying Human Resource Management knows that before anyone is appointed to such a high and sensitive position, the person should at least have some basic knowledge, rich experience as well as technical eye about the said job.
Does Adu Asare have the following qualities required of a manager of financial institution?
- Strong analytical and financial modeling.
- High level of professional ethics and integrity.
- Accounting or financial management background.
It is an open secret that Mr. Adu Asare has none of the above qualities required of even a ?taller? at any financial institution let alone that of a managerial position. He has no knowledge in financial management, not even an experience of a ?Village? shop-to- shop daily susu collector, so how come such a fellow with no track record, is put in charge to manage institution of such magnitude?
It is very sickened to find a historian do things without recourse to past events. I personally think President Mahama has no excuse to fail the people of this country especially the youth, because past events like the National Youth Employment Programmes? (NYEP) Financial Director who like Mr. Adu Asare is hollow in the area of financial management mess the programme up ?big time?.
The report of the Committee set up by the then Minister of Youth and Sports is there ?black and white? for everybody to read and judge by him/herself. There are thousand and one other examples which time and space will not permit me to pen down for your perusal.
Mr. President, there are lots of qualified and competent people in your party who can handle such high portfolio such as the YES Found, better than the carpenter.
For how long are we going to sit unconcerned as journalists, chiefs, clergies, opinion leaders and civil society organizations and allow the nation?s scares resources to go down the drain? It is time for each and every one of us who have the nation at heart to stand up and be counted.
Truth they say is bitter, but heals faster, it is on this note that I humbly appeal to t he good people of this country especially the youth to be bold and tell the hard truth to the face of government, opposition party leaders, judges, chiefs, clergies? and opinion leaders when they go wrong.
We shouldn?t think of the little- little goodies and favours we may receive from those in authority when we tell them what pleased their ears only. People in high society/authority will always want to hear only good things about themselves.
Tell them lies always and you will forever remain their allied, but tell them the plain truth that will change the fortunes of the ordinary man on the street and you become their enemies forever. If not members, supporters as well as sympathizes of political parties, religious organization etc will not defend tooth and nail the stand their leaders take though they know perfectly well that such stands are inimical to the well being of the ordinary people and development of the nation.
Fellow Ghanaians, let?s beginning to hold those in authority accountable now, for future generation will never forgive us if we fail to hold our leaders accountable and responsible for their actions and in actions now.
By: FRANKLINASARE-DONKOH, Freelance Journalist.
Email: [email protected]
